CVE-2018-3068 in PeopleSoft Enterprise HCM Human Resources
Summary
by MITRE
Vulnerability in the PeopleSoft Enterprise HCM Human Resources component of Oracle PeopleSoft Products (subcomponent: Compensation). The supported version that is affected is 9.2. Easily exploitable vulnerability allows unauthenticated attacker with network access via HTTP to compromise PeopleSoft Enterprise HCM Human Resources. Successful attacks require human interaction from a person other than the attacker and while the vulnerability is in PeopleSoft Enterprise HCM Human Resources, attacks may significantly impact additional products. Successful attacks of this vulnerability can result in unauthorized update, insert or delete access to some of PeopleSoft Enterprise HCM Human Resources accessible data as well as unauthorized read access to a subset of PeopleSoft Enterprise HCM Human Resources accessible data. CVSS 3.0 Base Score 6.1 (Confidentiality and Integrity impacts). CVSS Vector: (CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N).
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/17/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-3068 resides within Oracle PeopleSoft Enterprise HCM Human Resources component, specifically within the Compensation subcomponent at version 9.2. This represents a critical security flaw that exposes organizations to unauthorized access and data manipulation risks. The vulnerability operates through the HTTP protocol interface, making it accessible to unauthenticated attackers who can exploit it remotely without requiring any prior authentication credentials. The CVSS 3.0 score of 6.1 indicates a moderate to high severity threat level, with particular emphasis on confidentiality and integrity impacts that align with CWE-284 (Improper Access Control) and CWE-310 (Cryptographic Issues) classifications.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability requires a specific attack vector that involves human interaction from users other than the attacker, indicating that social engineering or targeted user engagement may be necessary to initiate the attack successfully. This characteristic places the vulnerability in the context of CWE-319 (Cryptographic Issues) and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1078 (Valid Accounts) where attackers leverage legitimate user credentials or create conditions for legitimate users to inadvertently facilitate access. The attack surface extends beyond the immediate PeopleSoft component to potentially impact additional Oracle products, suggesting a broader architectural concern that may involve shared authentication mechanisms or common data repositories.
The operational impact of successful exploitation includes unauthorized modification, insertion, and deletion of data within the PeopleSoft Enterprise HCM Human Resources system, along with unauthorized read access to sensitive information. This compromise directly affects the integrity and confidentiality of human resources data, potentially exposing employee compensation details, personal information, and organizational payroll data. The vulnerability's classification as a "significant impact" suggests that attackers could potentially access or modify critical business data that affects organizational operations and compliance requirements. The CVSS vector analysis reveals that the attack requires low complexity but can be executed over a network, with the requirement for user interaction indicating that this vulnerability might be exploited through targeted phishing campaigns or social engineering tactics that trick legitimate users into performing actions that enable the attack.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including network segmentation to limit access to PeopleSoft applications, implementing robust web application firewalls, and ensuring that all Oracle PeopleSoft components are updated to patched versions. The vulnerability's characteristics make it particularly dangerous for organizations that handle sensitive personal and financial data, as it could enable attackers to manipulate compensation records, potentially leading to financial fraud or data breaches that violate privacy regulations. Security monitoring should focus on unusual HTTP access patterns and unauthorized data access attempts, while access controls should be reviewed to ensure that only authorized personnel can access sensitive HR data. The presence of this vulnerability highlights the importance of maintaining up-to-date security patches and implementing comprehensive security monitoring strategies that can detect and respond to exploitation attempts before they result in significant data compromise or operational disruption.